Remarks by President Bush on Stem Cell Veto and Executive Order

WASHINGTON, June 20, 2007 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
following is a transcript of remarks by President Bush on stem cell
veto and executive order:

East Room

2:39 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Welcome. I'm glad you're here. America is a
nation that leads the world in science and technology. Our
innovative spirit is making possible incredible advances in
medicine that could save lives and cure diseases. America is also a
nation founded on the principle that all human life is sacred --
and our conscience calls us to pursue the possibilities of science
in a manner that respects human dignity and upholds our moral
values.

I appreciate the fact that we're joined by a lot of folks who
share the deep desire to advance science, and at the same time,
uphold our moral values. I appreciate the fact that Mike Leavitt is
here, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. I
want to thank the members of the United States Congress and Senate
who have joined us. I thank you for taking your time to be here on
this important announcement today.

I'm joined on stage by two good docs, really smart, capable
people: Dr. Bill Hurlbut, Professor of Stanford University Medical
Center; Dr. Don Landry, Professor at Department of Medicine --
actually, he's the Chairman of the Department. The reason they're
here is these are brilliant biologists who are seeking new ways to
develop stem cell lines without violating human life. And these are
smart folks, and I cannot thank them enough for coming to the Oval
Office to share with me their wisdom and their vision.

I'm also up here with Carol Franz; she has whipped cancer twice
by using adult stem cells. In other words, adult stem cells have
saved her life. She's a determined woman who believes strongly that
there are different alternatives available to use stem cells other
than those which are created as the result of destruction of human
life.

And, finally, I'm up here with the McNamara family -- Kaitlyne
is with us -- I'm going to talk about her in a second.

I do want to thank the other stem cell patients and researchers
and advocates who are here with us today. If you're not in any of
those categories you're welcome, too. (Laughter.)

In 2001, I announced a policy to advance stem cell research in a
way that is ambitious, ethical, and effective. I became the first
President to make federal funds available for embryonic stem cell
research -- and my policy did this in ways that would not encourage
the destruction of embryos. Since then, my administration has made
more than $130 million available for research on stem cell lines
derived from embryos that had already been destroyed. We've
provided more than $3 billion for research on all forms of stem
cells -- including those from adult and other non-embryonic
sources.

This careful approach is producing results. It has contributed
to proven therapeutic treatments in thousands of patients with many
different diseases. It's opening the prospect of new discoveries
that could transform lives.

Congress has sent me a bill that would overturn this policy. If
this legislation became law, it would compel American taxpayers --
for the first time in our history -- to support the deliberate
destruction of human embryos. I made it clear to Congress and to
the American people that I will not allow our nation to cross this
moral line. Last year, Congress passed a similar bill -- I kept my
promise by vetoing it. And today I'm keeping my word again: I am
vetoing the bill that Congress has sent. (Applause.)

Destroying human life in the hopes of saving human life is not
ethical -- and it is not the only option before us. We're already
seeing remarkable advances in the science and therapeutic uses of
stem cells drawn from adults and children, and the blood from
umbilical cords -- with no harm to the donor. Researchers value
embryonic stem cells because they are pluripotent -- which means
that they have the potential to develop into nearly all the cell
types and tissues in the body. Researchers are now developing
promising new techniques that offer the potential to produce
pluripotent stem cells -- without having to destroy human life.

For example, several new studies released earlier this month
showed the potential of reprogramming adult cells -- such as skin
cells -- to make them function like embryonic stem cells. It's
exciting new research taking place in the United States of America.
Scientists from all over the country hailed this as an important
breakthrough. And I'm pleased to report to you that my
administration and the NIH helped fund this exciting work. The
taxpayers' dollars are going to new kinds of therapies, new kinds
of science, new kinds of work that do not cross a moral and ethical
line.

A few months earlier, scientists discovered that cells extracted
from amniotic fluid and placentas could also provide stem cells
that seem to do what embryonic cells can. Still other researchers
are investigating how to combine reprogramming and other innovative
techniques to produce stem cells with the abilities of embryonic
stem cells -- without creating or destroying embryos. There's a lot
of interesting work going on that's ethical and moral. Scientists
are exploring ways to collect stem cells in the same manner that
doctors now rescue organs from patients who have died.

With us today are patients who are benefiting from ethical stem
cell research -- including Kaitlyne McNamara. Kaitlyne was born
with spina bifida, a disease that damaged her bladder. None of the
treatments her doctor tried had worked; she was in danger of kidney
failure. Then her doctors took a piece of her bladder, isolated the
healthy stem cells, and used them to grow a new bladder in a
laboratory -- which they then transplanted into her. And here she
stands, healthy. (Applause.) Scientific advances like this one are
important and should give us hope that there's a better way forward
than scientific advances that require the destruction of a human
life.

The researchers pursuing these kinds of ethically responsible
advances deserve our support, and there is legislation in Congress
to give them that support. Recently, the United States Senate
passed a bill sponsored by Norm Coleman and others that would
authorize additional federal funding for alternative stem cell
research. The bill was approved with the backing of 70 United
States senators. The House leaders need to pass similar legislation
that would authorize additional funds for ethical stem cell
research. That would be an important advancement. It would be an
important statement. Because we can't lose the opportunity to
conduct research that would give hope to those suffering from
terrible diseases -- and help this country move beyond the
controversies over embryo destruction.

We have a good chance to put aside all the politics and focus on
a good piece of legislation that advances science and doesn't cross
an ethical line. Norm, I want to thank you and Johnny Isakson for
sponsoring that piece of legislation. (Applause.)

In the meantime, my administration is taking immediate action to
increase our support for researchers in their vital work. Earlier
today, I issued an executive order to strengthen our nation's
commitment to research on pluripotent stem cells. This order takes
a number of important steps. The order directs the Department of
Health and Human Services and the NIH to ensure that any human
pluripotent stem cell lines produced in ways that do not create,
destroy, or harm human embryos will be eligible for federal
funding.

The order expands the NIH Embryonic Stem Cell registry to
include all types of ethically produced human pluripotent stem
cells. The order renames the registry -- calls it this, the
Pluripotent Stem Cell Registry -- so it reflects what stem cells
can do, instead of where they come from. The order invites
scientists to work with the NIH, so we can add new ethically
derived stem cell lines to the list of those eligible for federal
funding. I direct Secretary Leavitt to conduct an assessment of
what resources will be necessary to support this important new
research.

This science which does not cross ethical lines requires money.
I believe it is a good use of taxpayers' money to spend money on
this kind of science and research. And Michael is going to expedite
it, that's what that means -- it's a fancy paragraph for saying
he's going to get it done. (Laughter.)

With these steps, we'll encourage scientists to expand the
frontiers of stem cell research. We want to encourage science. We
want to say, we stand on your side in an ethically responsible way.
Scientists have recently shown they have the ingenuity and skill to
pursue the potential benefits of pluripotent stem cell research.
Here's two of them right here. That's why they're standing here,
they have showed what's possible. I have confidence in their
abilities to continue to develop new techniques. With our expanded
support of non-destructive research methods, we'll make it more
likely that these exciting advances continue to unfold.

Technical innovation in this difficult area is opening up new
possibilities for progress without conflict or ethical controversy.
So I invite policymakers and scientists to come together to speed
our nation toward the destination we all seek -- where medical
problems can be solved without compromising either the high aims of
science or the sanctity of human life.